CRANE  

Cranes are any of several wading birds comprising the 15 species of the family Gruidae, order Gruiformes. They are found in North America and throughout much of the Old World. The plumage is usually brown, gray, or white. Such species as the crowned crane, Balearica pavonina, of Africa are particularly striking in appearance, and many species have unfeathered areas, sometimes brightly colored, around the head. Cranes often have loud, resonant cries. The trachea, or windpipe, in some species is convoluted into the keel of the sternum, a condition that facilitates the production of sound. Most cranes are terrestrial, preferring marshy conditions. They feed on plant materials and a wide variety of small animals. Their nests, usually containing two eggs, are on the ground in marshy areas. The crowned crane, however, occasionally nests in low trees.

At least five crane species are in danger of extinction; these include the WHOOPING CRANE, Grus americana, the tallest bird found in the United States and Canada. Considerable success has been achieved in raising this bird in captivity, and efforts are under way to establish new nesting populations of the species.